Tired Creek Lake gets boost from recent rains to rise to highest level yet

Rainfall of 4.5 inches was measured at Tired Creek Lake since Sunday provided a boost to the filling of the 960-acre lake. The lake level now stands at 201.53 feet above sea level.
This is the highest level reached since the gate to the dam has been closed and the filling underway, according to Grady County lake authority executive director Mike Binion.
Binion says by today, Dec. 7, the level could reach the magic 202 feet above sea level which would trigger inspections required by Georgia Safe Dams. The lake is required to be filled based on a schedule set by the Safe Dams program.
In other Tired Creek Lake related news, the county commission on Tuesday approved spending an estimated $42,200 with Krebs Engineering to prepare a watershed management plan that is part of the lake master plan, a component of the federal 404 permit authorizing the construction of the Tired Creek Lake dam.
Grady County administrator Carlos Tobar told commissioners this week he had solicited state Rep. Darlene Taylor’s assistance in “persuading” the Georgia Environmental Protection Division to review and approve Kreb’s plan once completed, which Tobar said EPD is not required to do.
Chairman Charles Norton suggested Tobar handle the situation with “paper gloves” saying that applying such pressure could “backfire.”
Commissioner T.D. David asked Tobar for a copy of the correspondence Rep. Taylor had sent to EPD on the county’s behalf.
Tobar said if she wrote a letter as opposed to making a phone call, he would ask her for a copy.
“Anytime another level of government does something on our behalf we should have a record of it. She may have just made a phone call to someone there she knows,” David said.
“All I’m saying is be careful,” Chairman Norton said.
Vice Chairman Elwyn Childs asked if this was a one-time expense and Chairman Norton said that would not be known until the plan is actually accepted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
When asked by Commissioner David how the cost of the plan would be paid for, Tobar said the money would have to come from the county’s reserves.
The Messenger requested a copy of Rep. Taylor’s correspondence with EPD, but Tobar did not provide a copy by presstime.